Champions of the Bronze Buzzard

The Battle for Kitsumura

The almost magnificent six

19

FEB/13

After returning from the success of Boot Hill Cemetery, the villagers of Westerfield are impressed by the party’s courage and strength. Ilsa gave the party a flask of Silvermane’s Special Cider – said to have magical healing properties that could save someone from the brink of death. Three wretchedly poor farmers from the village of Kitsumura begged Tuan and the others to defend them against a ravaging bandit named Calvera. For the price of 5 silver apiece and three square meals a day, the party travelled to Kitsumura to save the farmers from exploitation, but not before Osrik made one of them cry.

While inspecting the village, our heroes met with Gisaku, the village elder, who explained that Kitsumura was once the summer home of a noble Elven family that had long since abandoned the area. Several members of the party began making preparations for Calvera’s arrival, and Tuan developed a sound plan to trap him by the ancient Elven gate in the middle of town. In an impromptu change of plans, Tuan met Calvera at the bridge on the outskirts of town.

In a surprising exchange in Elvish, Calvera explained that his thirty mounted spearmen patrolled the mountains surrounding Kitsumura, and protected the farmers from a variety of threats including wolves, owl-bears, goblins and other darker things. Calvera proclaimed that Kitsumura was under his protection and after a short fight concluded that his town had been invaded by evil wizards. Calvera escaped, but one of his men was taken hostage.

Then Osrik built a catapult.

Finnan interrogated the hostage, who was totally freaked out and explained several important things. First, that Calvera was a barbarian from distant lands, a tremendous warrior and a great leader. Second, that he had been cursed long ago by an evil sorcerer so that he could not speak the common tongue. Third, that his company called themselves the Mountain Spears, and would follow Calvera against any foe.

The battle for Kitsumura was bloody and pitched. Osrik’s catapult and Hollis’s bow took out a great number of riders at the bridge. Sybil and Tuan tried to hold the north bank, but took lots of damage. Ol’ Grig ran headlong and solo against a group of ten flanking spearmen who came out of the woods to the north. Grig also got several elderly farmers killed. The battle was very close, but ultimately Calvera fell. Unfortunately, he was also the only one in any position to order a retreat, a key point that nobody in the party seemed to consider before throwing literally everything they had against just that one guy. A rescued hostage told his comrades they needed to withdraw immediately, and the surviving 17 riders escaped into the forest.

Tuan drank all of Silvermane’s Special Cider.

An image of the Queen of Bones appeared through the smoke of the burning bridge and claimed Calvera’s body as a prize, saying that she had followed him and his strength for a long time. Sybil cut his head off before she could take the body, and the Queen of Bones called her a bitch and said “I’ll say hello to your husband for you.” Then the image of her and Calvera’s body vanished in the smoke.

The party collected their 5 silver apiece and returned to Kitsumura, somewhat discouraged.